


Sweet tooth

by ErRose



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Academy Era, Alternate Universe - Candy Shop, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Pining, alternate universe - chocolatier, k/s day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 03:34:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20650529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErRose/pseuds/ErRose
Summary: Spock needs a gift so he walks into a chocolate shop off campus and suddenly develops a sweet tooth.





	Sweet tooth

**Author's Note:**

> Happy K/S Day!

On rare occasions, Spock’s schedule aligned with his sister’s just enough to allow them a short video communication. They used this time to catch up on each other’s lives and discuss and debate current events. This call had been no different, until just before signing off, Michael added, “And please, Spock, don’t forget Mother’s birthday is next week,” 

Spock tried to contain an eye roll, but as older sisters always do, Michael caught it anyway.

“I know it’s illogical, but it’s important to her. Just send something small so she knows you haven’t forgotten about her,”

“Eidetic memory aside, it is unlikely that I should forget about my own mother,”

“Just be a good sport, Spock,” she sighed, “When I was at the academy there was a nice little chocolate shop just off campus. You could get her something from there- she loves chocolate,” 

When Spock opened his mouth to reply, the yellow alert signal flared behind her, and he heard a voice calling her to the bridge. 

“Duty calls,” she said with a slight smile, “Next week. Don’t forget,”

Their feed cut off, leaving Spock alone in his room. Michael had not told him where the chocolate shop was located, nor had she given him any indication of what chocolate their mother would like. 

Spock recalled his childhood. Spock and Sybok had been forbidden from eating chocolate, both due to it’s intoxicating qualities in Vulcans, and the illogic of eating something with such little nutritional value. Occasionally, however, their mother would share a treat with Michael- never in front of the others, of course-she strived to be a fair mother- but Michael was human, and Spock suspected Amanda used the chocolate to remind Michael of her home, and that her humanity was nothing to be ashamed of. 

As he walked to class, he considered possible courses of action. Trying to comm Michael again was an unreliable method- she likely wouldn’t be able to get back to him in time. The most logical course would be to ask his mother herself, though he knew that would ruin the surprise- an important aspect to giving a birthday gift. 

When Nyota sat next to him in her usual seat, he was struck by an idea.

“Nyota, are you aware of a chocolatier near campus?”

“Yeah, it’s down by that museum on the bay. I’ve heard it’s great. Why do you ask?”

Spock exhaled in something akin to a sigh. “My mother’s birthday is coming up and my sister insists I send a gift. She recommended chocolates,”

“That’s a nice idea. I’ve been wanting to go there anyway, so I can go with you if you want. Maybe today after my last class?”

“That would be agreeable,” Spock said, just as class was beginning to start, now more confident in his ability to find an acceptable gift with his friend’s help.

Later that day, after his classes were finished, Spock made his way to the address Nyota had given him. He arrived early, as usual so he waited outside for her. Through the store’s large front window, he could see into the bright room. 

The floor was checkered black and white, but the rest of the room swirled with pastel colors. Along the walls, were hundreds of jars of candy in every color, samples from many of the planets in the federation, mixed in with a wide selection of traditional flavors from earth. To one side, several tables sat in a small seating area- one of which was occupied by a couple who sat with their hands together on top of the table and a dreamy look in their eyes with a single empty milkshake glass with two straws between them. The back wall, obscured slightly by the long counter, was the piece de resistance- it was what people came here for. Chocolate in every shape and size and flavor you could imagine, neatly lined on covered trays. He almost expected a waitress in a poodle skirt to glide past the window on roller skates. It felt like looking back through a window in time into the American 1950’s. Or perhaps it was more like a nostalgic painting of the time- Spock had studied the often idolized time period and found that their highly prejudiced views wouldn’t even allow two people of different skin colors sit together, they likely would not have allowed people of two different species sit together.

In his pocket, his communicator chirped with a message from Nyota. 

_Sorry Spock, I can’t make it today. Christine needed an emergency study session and I couldn’t turn her down. We can go another time if you want. _

It would be illogical to turn back now that he was already here. 

The couple left just as he pushed the door open, and a bell chimed over his head. It was a quaint and charming detail that further lent to the feeling of stepping back in time. Once over the threshold, his sense of smell was overwhelmed. The rich smell of chocolate was everywhere. He was sure that during the small amount of time he spent there, the scent would permeate his clothes and hair, needing a deep clean to get it out. After a few moments, however, he was entirely enveloped in the sweet smell, and it faded to the background of the consciousness. To his right was a table with colorful boxes and ribbons- clearly pre-made gifts, ready to be presented with no extra thought. Still, he was shocked by how many choices there were. Flavors in the boxes, patterns on the outside, and hundreds of ribbons made for millions of combinations. 

He began to run the numbers through his head, curious now about just how many options he had, and just how overwhelmed he should be. While he thought, he reached a hand out to stroke a piece of gold ribbon. It was so shiny he could almost see his own face reflected back at him, it couldn’t possibly be soft, but when his fingers ran over it, it felt so nice he wanted to pull it up to his face so he could feel it aainst his cheek.

“Oh, hey!” the voice was friendly, not accusatory, and yet Spock couldn’t help but feel as though he had been caught doing something he should not have been doing, and yanked his hand back from the ribbon and clasped it behind his back, “Sorry I didn’t hear you come in. Can I help you with anything?” He turned to address the speaker, to say he was here to buy and gift and leave, and would not require and assistance. However, when they locked eyes, something happened in his brain, though he could not place the symptoms. 

The man smiled, setting the whole room in a heavenly glow, his eyes sparkled as he waited for Spock to respond. 

_Say something,_ Spock reprimanded himself silently. 

“I am Spock,” he had almost completely forgotten why he had come to this place. “I am looking for a gift,”

“Ah, something special for that special someone?” 

“I… yes, I suppose she is quite special,” though he was no expert on reading human emotions, Spock thought that the glowing man behind the counter looked disappointed. 

“If you’re not in a rush, I can help you personalize it. Make it really special for her,” 

“I have approximately one hour and twenty four minutes before I have to leave, but I’m afraid I don’t know her tastes in chocolates, so perhaps one of these would be best,” he gestured to the pre-made boxes.

“Nonsense. I can guide you through it. You have my personal guarantee that she’ll love it. What do you say?” 

He hesitated. Surely this man couldn’t tell him his own mother’s tastes, however, if he picked a premade box and left, that would end the interaction, he would likely never have reason to see him again. 

“That is very kind of you. Thank you,”

He smiled again and though Spock never believed in deities, Spock could almost believe that Ra himself must have put a piece of the sun into this man’s smile. 

“I’m Jim, by the way. Jim Kirk.” He brushed the chocolate dust from his hands onto the apron that tied around his waist and waved Spock over to stand with him in front of the wall of chocolate. “Alright, Spock, let's start with the basics. Dark, milk, or white?” He laid three rectangles on the counter each a different color. 

He pointed to the white one and said, “I've never seen her eat that one,” 

Jim laughed and it was music. “She’s got good taste. I’m not a fan of white myself. We can do some of each of the others if you aren’t sure.”

Spock nodded. 

“Good, now fillings.” He showed Spock all the different types of chocolates they had. Earth flavors like coconut and maple, and some from other planets as well such as Andorian geh flower and even the tono'pak berry from Vulcan. Jim made it easier than he could have imagined to put together a thoughtful gift. He helped him choose the proper box and a coordinating ribbon to tie it all together. 

“Thank you for your help. I am sure I could not have done that alone,” he said as he transferred the credits to pay. 

“Remember, that comes with a Jim Kirk guarantee. So come on back if she doesn’t like it,” 

“I am certain she will,” 

He felt oddly dizzy as he left the shop, and couldn’t quite shake the feeling for the rest of the day. Even as he lay in bed that night, he felt too light, as if he might soon start floating off the bed. 

During his usual lunch with Nyota the next day, they both studied quietly when without looking up Nyota asked, “Did you end up going to the candy shop yesterday?”

“Yes. I was already there when I got your message. I saw no reason to leave without going inside. I sent it to my mother this morning,”

“Sorry again, but I can’t say no to Christine,”

He nodded, still both looking at their work “It is of no consequence. Jim helped me pick out what she would like,” 

“Who’s Jim?” She asked, finally looking up, a playful tease in her voice. He realized his mistake, and his cheeks began to burn, but he was determined to stay calm. He pointedly avoided eye contact, which only made her more curious. 

“The man who works in the candy shop. He was very helpful,” he said with an efficient professionalism. 

“You’re looking a little green around the gills there, Spock. Was this ‘Jim’ perhaps attractive?”

“Though my vulcan physiology differs from humans, you know as well as I that I do not have gills.” It was an ineloquent transition, but effective enough, because Nyota dropped the subject with a little huff, and they went back to their quiet studies, but Spock’s mind continued to wander back to Jim’s broad smile and tousled hair. 

Several days after his encounter with Jim at the candy shop, Spock received an incoming video transmission from his mother. Before he even had time to greet her, she practically squealed with excitement. 

“Oh, Spock thank you for the chocolates! They are absolutely lovely! I even tried to get your father to take one of the of the tono’pak ones but he simply wouldn’t budge. That’s fine though, because it leaves more for me,” she laughed at her own joke.

“Happy birthday, Mother,” 

She continued to speak and though Spock tried to pay attention, all he could think about was going back to the shop to tell Jim how much she loved the gift. After terminating the call, Spock nearly lept out of his seat to make his way to the candy store.

When he looked in the window, the store was mostly empty again, but the familiar frame was leaning on the counter, facing away from Spock. He pushed the door open, and the jingling of the bell made Jim turn around. Was it possible that he had gotten more beautiful since the last time? When they locked eyes, his neutral expression turned golden and bright as if he was happy to see Spock instead of just another customer. 

“How did your girlfriend like them? I hope you’re not here to collect on my guarantee,” Jim said by way of greeting. 

“I am unsure of your meaning,” 

“The chocolate box we put together for your girlfriend last week. How did she like them?”

“I do not have… They were for my mother,” he clarified.

“Oh! I’m sorry. You said someone special and I just assumed. Did your mom like it though?”

“Yes, she was very pleased.” He had come with the intention of thanking Jim, but suddenly, couldn’t find the words. 

“I’m glad to hear that, and not only because the ‘Jim Kirk guarantee’ isn’t a real thing,” He winked and though he knew it was impossible, Spock’s stomach seemed to drop. 

“She especially enjoyed the one from Betazed,” It felt like a pathetic thing to say, but he wanted to continue this conversation.

Jim’s cheeks turned the most beautiful shade of pink Spock had ever seen. “The betazoid kiss. I’m glad she liked it but I’m a little embarrassed. I recommended that because it’s a popular one for romantic gifts; it’s just because of the name, but I’m sorry I made that assumption,”

“It is no matter, Jim,”

“Do you need anything else? I’d be more than happy to help you again,” 

“No, I only came to thank you,”

“That’s what I’m here for,” Jim smiled, but Spock’s cheeks warmed. Of course that was why he helped- it was his job. It wasn’t out of special interest or anything more than simply because he was being paid to. Spock nodded and turned to leave, trying to hide his embarrassment. “Hang on a second,” Jim called from behind him. He went back into the kitchen and came out a moment later with a small white box. “When we put together the one for your mom, your face kind of lit up at these ones like you wanted to try them,”

“How much do they cost?” He was dumbfounded. 

“They’re on me,”

“I cannot accept this,”

“You have to. I already put them in the box, I can’t put them back out for sale. It’s policy.” He grinned again and Spock’s heart swelled in his side. He wondered if he would ever get used to seeing that smile. He felt sure that even if he saw it everyday for the rest of his life, the room around him would still get fuzzy every time.

“Thank you,”

“And if you want, come back and tell me what you think,”

Spock nodded, his head swirling as the warm breeze cleared the smell of chocolate from his nostrils, and made his way home. 

When the turbolift doors opened onto his floor, he saw Nyota standing in front of his door. Receiving no response from within, she turned to leave. 

“Hey, I was just stopping by to see if you’d be interested in a last minute study session. That xenobiology exam has me nervous.” Her eyes flickered to the box in his hand, “What’s that?” she asked, seeming to forget the exam altogether. 

He keyed in the code to open the door. “I too would benefit from extra study time for that exam,” he said, pointedly ignoring the final question. 

“It wouldn’t be from that candy shop would it?”

“It is,” he said as he carefully put the box into a cabinet, “What chapter would you like to begin with?”

“You know, I’ve been looking for a gift for my cousin. Perhaps she would like something from there. What do you think, Spock? You could show me around tomorrow since you’ve already been there twice,” 

“I hardly think you would need someone to ‘show you around’ as it is one room, and you are extremely intelligent, however if you would like me to accompany you, I would be amenable,”

She smiled triumphantly to herself before swiping at her PADD and adding, “Let’s start with chapter twelve,” 

The next day, they left their final class together and without a word about it, made their way to the chocolatier. 

When they passed the window, Nyota looked in and he heard a small gasp escape her, and when they opened the door, her eyes went wide, trying to take it all in, a smile full of childlike wonder split across her face. She wandered immediately to the wall on the left and began picking out candies. Spock, however, deflated when he looked to the man behind the counter, and saw a shock of black hair rather than the sandy hair he was expecting. He stood with Nyota as she sorted through flavors, occasionally sniffing through the wrapper. 

“Is that Jim?” Nyota whispered, nodding in the direction of the young man at the counter. 

Spock, feigning indifference, turned discreetly to look. He shook his head. “If you are looking for assistance in picking a gift for your cousin, however, I’m sure he would be able to help,”

Nyota rolled her eyes and continued browsing the jars along the wall. 

“Hey, Gary, I’m here. Sorry I’m late, class ran long.” The familiar voice accelerated his heart rate.

“Finally. You better not have made me late for my date tonight. I still have to go home and get ready.” 

“Don’t change a thing,” Jim said, “if she can’t love you in spite of what you look like, she doesn’t deserve you,” 

With a chuckle, Gary untied his apron and threw it at Jim, who put it under the counter, into a cleaning shoot, and pulled out a clean one of his own. Once it was tied loosely around his waist, he looked up at the customers in the store and when he saw Spock, he lit up. Spock nodded in silent greeting, trying to contain his own small grin. A few moments later, he felt a presence beside him. 

“Back already?” 

“I am here to help a friend choose a gift,” Jim’s face seemed to falter slightly, so Spock amended his statement, “But I would also like to tell you that I enjoyed the chocolates you gave to me.” It was a half truth- though he did not eat them, he did enjoy receiving them- but it was worth it to see Jim’s smile return in full force. 

“Yeah? I’m glad you liked them,”

“Indeed. In fact, I would like to purchase another box of your recommendations.” He wasn’t entirely sure why he said it, but the look Jim gave him made him want to swoon. 

“Really? You do?” 

“Affirmative,” 

“I’ll be right back.” In a seemingly unconscious gesture, he briefly touched Spock’s shoulder, sending electricity all the way down his arm and into his fingertips, before disappearing back into the kitchen, leaving Spock breathless.

“_That_ is your Jim? Jim Kirk?”

Spock wheeled on her, failing to contain his shock. “You know him?”

“Yeah, from the academy. I have a few classes with him, but I don’t know much about him other than the fact he always thinks he’s the smartest person in the room. It’s annoying, but frankly he’s probably right most of the time. He’s practically a genius,”

“How have I never seen him?”

“It’s a big school, Spock,” she chuckled. 

Their conversation was cut short when Jim came back out with another small box in hand. 

“Uhura? Sorry, I guess I didn’t realize it was you. Did you need help with anything?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” she said with playfull a roll of her eyes in Spock’s direction.

He pretended not to see, and kept his attention on Jim instead, “I was unaware that you attended Starfleet Academy,” 

“I’m on the command track,” He rubbed the back of his neck seeming unusually bashful, as if unaccustomed to talking about his achievements and quickly tried to change the subject, “How do you know Uhura?”

“I am also a student. I have two classes with her, and we study together three days per week,” 

“How have I never seen you around campus? I would definitely remember if I had seen you before,”

“I had a similar thought,” 

There was a charged silence while they both processed what had been said, and the words that had been left unspoken, but still heard by both of them. 

“Well I think that about does it for me. You still shopping, Spock?” Nyota asked, breaking the spell. 

Jim rang up their purchases while stealing glances at Spock from under his long eyelashes. 

“Don’t forget to come back so you can tell me what you thought,” he said to Spock as the two made to leave. 

“Vulcans do not forget,” there was a twinge if softness in place of his usual hard monotone. 

“See you soon then, and hey, maybe I’ll even see you on campus some time?”

Spock nodded, green tinting his cheeks. 

“Bye, Kirk,” Nyota said with a playful grin.

“Oh right, I’ll uh, I’ll see you tomorrow, Uhura,” he stammered, clearly having forgotten her presence.

When the door shut behind them, Nyota lifted a questioning brow at Spock. “I don’t know which answer will surprise me more, Spock, but did you actually eat those chocolates, or were you lying?”

“Neither. I never said I ate them. I simply said I enjoyed them, which I did. They were aesthetically pleasing, and had a pleasant aroma that I enjoyed,” 

“And what about these? Just going to enjoy the smell of these as well?”

“I have not decided,” 

By the time Spock got home, he had decided to try a small piece of each, so that he could be more honest with Jim, while feeling only minimal effects. 

After sampling each piece, he put them all back in the box and stored them with Jim’s gift from the day before. He briefly considered the logic in keeping them, but ultimately decided that he may like to try them again some time, so he closed the cabinet and tried to keep his mind off of Jim. 

It was several days before he was able to go to the shop again, but when he had some free time in between classes, he needed to go into town to buy some fresh tea leaves. He decided to take the long way home- it afforded him the opportunity to walk in the spring sunshine instead of in the cold, damp shadows- and if it happened to take him past the candy shop, that surely was not the intention.

When he approached the block with the candy shop, his heart rate accelerated. As he passed the large window, he peeked in through the corner of his eye. The shop was empty, save a very bored looking Jim Kirk, who looked up just in time to make eye contact with Spock. He immediately perked up, and raised a hand in a wave. Spock could nearly see a decision flash across Jim’s face a millisecond before he leapt to his feet and ran to the door. In front of him, Jim’s face popped out of the doorway. 

“Hey, Spock. You got a second?” He gestured inside. 

He tried to keep his face neutral as walked in and replied, “I have many seconds,”

Jim laughed, surprising Spock. It was rare that someone recognized his attempts at humor, even more so that someone laughed.

“Alright, smartass. Do you have time for a tour? I have something I want to show you,”

“I have one hour and forty seven minutes until I have to be back at the academy,” 

“That’s plenty of time, follow me.” He walked toward the kitchen without looking back, as if he knew that Spock would follow without question; and Spock knew that he was right. 

The kitchen was a mess, fresh ingredients and chocolate in various forms- solid, liquid, powder, shavings- were all scattered across the counter in bowls of varying sizes and colors. 

“A few days ago, my boss said that she wanted to introduce a new flavor, and she thought it would be a good idea if it came from one of us. So everyone is making their own flavors and she’s going to pick one to sell in the store. Would you like to be my taste tester?” 

“I must admit, I do not have a discerning palette,” 

“All you have to do is say if you like it or not, that’s it.” Spock wanted to turn him down and explain the effects of chocolate, but his face was so open and hopeful he couldn’t force the words out of his mouth. 

“I would be willing to try,” he conceded. 

“You’re a lifesaver,” 

“I fail to see how I saved your life, never-the-less, I am pleased to be of assistance,”

Jim proffered the candy and he took a small bite. 

Jim laughed again, “Oh, you hate it,”

“I did not say that,”

“You didn’t have to. If I wasn’t paying attention, I would have missed it, but your whole face twitched.” His laughter continued, and Spock raised an eyebrow. 

“I do not, however, know what is wrong- just that the flavor is not pleasing,”

“Alright, well I’ll work on it. Thank you for your tongue.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Jim flushed bright red and began trying to stutter out both an amendment to his statement and an apology at once, and Spock stifled a laugh of his own. 

“I would be happy to lend my help again,”

“Would you maybe want to stay a little longer? It’s a slow shift and if you have the time, I’d love some company. I could get you a coffee or tea or something,”

Spock’s heart stuttered in his side- a most illogical reaction to an offer of a hot drink. “I believe I have time for a cup of tea,”

Jim got a tea for Spock and a coffee for himself and some chocolates for them to split and they sat at one of the tables in the front of the store. They lost themselves in conversation for over an hour until they heard the bell over the door chime, pulling them from their perfect bubble universe where they were the only two who existed.

“Sorry, I’ll be right back,” Jim said, still reluctant to leave their pocket universe. 

“I must leave, anyway,” suddenly realizing that he had somehow lost track of time- something nearly impossible for a Vulcan- stood and nodded to a very disappointed looking Jim as he collected his half of the chocolates and quickly transferred the proper credits. 

The man who walked in asked Jim for a tour of the kitchen. The last thing Spock heard before the door softly closed behind him was Jim saying, “Sorry, I can’t have customers behind the counter. It’s policy- I could get in a lot of trouble,”

Irrationally, that made him flush. Jim had made an exception for him, could have gotten himself into trouble for him, even though he didn’t ask for special treatment. He longed to know why, but kept his mind on getting to class on time.

Never before had Spock forgotten the time. Never before had he needed to rush from place to place due to poor time management. But that was exactly what he found himself doing. His long legs carried him quickly from the shop back to campus. He made it to class with thirty seven seconds to spare- a much closer margin than he typically allowed. 

He sat next to Nyota who grinned playfully and said, “You smell sweet,” 

He knew what she was implying, but thankfully, class started exactly on time and he was spared having to logically explain both the aroma and his own lateness. The small bag of chocolate continued to distract him. He wanted to know what Jim was doing and if he was thinking of Spock. He tried to puzzle out what it meant that Jim had invited him into the kitchen, but denied someone else, certainly someone whose company would have been more enjoyable. 

After class, he stored the chocolate in the cabinet with the others. He knew that he should get rid of them, but they felt too special to throw them away.

It was almost habit after a while. He left class and made his way to the chocolate shop. He looked forward to it nearly every day- to seeing Jim. They knew each other’s schedules and knew when they could expect to see each other in the shop. The bell above the door was beginning to have a Pavlovian effect. His heart swelled with affection every time he heard it, even if Jim was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps Jim was experiencing a similar sensation, because he emerged from the kitchen with a smile that reached his eyes in a way that it didn’t seem to when he greeted other customers. 

“Come on, I’ve got something new I want you to try.” He waved him back into the kitchen and Spock followed. He gestured to a small plate with a few chocolates carefully laid out. The counter around the plate was still a mess of ingredients and assorted bowls and dishes; likely Jim had only just finished his creation when Spock arrived. 

“I think I finally got it figured out,” 

“Indeed?”

Jim grinned. “Alright, I get it. The last one was even worse than the first. But I really think this one is it,”

“If you don’t mind my asking, why is this so important to you?”

“I just,” he hesitated, “I care a lot about what I do. No matter what it is, I want to be the best I can possibly be. Even though this is just some job to pay a few bills while I’m at the academy, I still want to do it well.” He stared down at his feet and his cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink that Spock longed to reach out and feel the warmth that pooled just under the skin.

“That is admirable, Jim,”

He grinned, still looking mildly embarrassed. “So this time, I used dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, and I used less cinnamon- I’m sure you’re relieved about that. Oh, and on top of the behg flower, I used a little wensel berry. It’s from the planet...the planet.” He rubbed his forehead as if trying to force the name of the planet to the forefront.

“I believe the wensel berry originates from a planet in the Witola system,”

“Yes! Thank you, Witola VI. It’s really subtle, but I think it adds just enough,”

“I look forward to trying it,”

Jim handed him a piece, leaving small finger prints in the chocolate, and took another for himself. He watched as Spock bit into it, seeming to forget about his own sample. 

“I believe that you were correct in your assessment. I do believe that this is ‘it’,”

“Yeah?” 

“Yes, you were wise to include the wensel. It balances the flavor quite well.” It was very good, but Spock knew the effect it would have on him. He would have to limit himself to just the one piece.

“I’m so glad you like it. Here, take another if you want,” Jim slid the plate towards him. He couldn’t disappoint Jim, if he turned down a second piece, Jim would likely think he was lying about enjoying it. With another look at Jim’s radiant smile, he took a second piece.

“Are you not going to taste your own creation?” He gestured to the uneaten piece still in Jim’s fingers. 

With a wide smile, Jim raised his own as if toasting and they ate them at the same time. Spock was already beginning to feel different, his cheeks and ears warmer than usual, and his head felt a little bit lighter. 

“It’s perfect.” He beamed with pride.

“Indeed,”

“Well even though mine is obviously the best one, we got in a few new things that I’ve been dying to try, too,”

He opened a box and took one out, and bit it in half and started to hand the other half to Spock, before freezing and pulling his hand away. 

“That was so rude, I’m sorry,” he said, looking almost shocked at his too casual actions, “I should have used a knife. You don’t have to take that,”

Again, not wanting to hurt him, he took the bitten candy and popped it in his mouth, much to Jim’s amusement. The flavor was excellent, but Spock was really beginning to feel the effects of the first two pieces. His mind was cloudy and he wanted to sit down, but Jim was reaching for another chocolate. 

He tried to say that he couldn’t have another piece, he meant to explain the intoxicating effects of chocolate on Vulcan physiology, but all that came out was, “Jim, I-” he couldn’t seem to string the words together to form a coherent sentence. The way Jim’s eyes danced as they stared up at him only compounded the problem. 

“Are you okay, Spock? You look a little green,” he sounded concerned and took a step forward, placing a gentle hand on his upper arm. 

“I am well. Vulcan blood is green, I believe I am a little flushed.” But he couldn’t stop thinking about the feeling of Jim’s hand on his arm. He wanted to feel what that hand would feel like roaming across his chest or in his hair or on his skin. 

Jim seemed to accept this explanation without another thought, and thankfully, didn’t ask why Spock would be so flushed. He pulled his hand away, but instead of resting it on the counter, he accidentally dipped his fingers into a bowl of melted chocolate. 

“You’re sure you’re alright?” he asked, bringing his fingers to his lips and sucking the chocolate off of his index finger. 

Spock’s fragile control snapped. He pulled Jim close and crushed their lips together. Like chocolate in his fingers, Jim seemed to melt under his warm touch. A faint, but pleasant buzzing began to radiate from everywhere they touched, like an electrical charge running through them. Where there was skin contact, the sensation was even more intense. Jim’s hands on the back of Spock’s neck, Spock’s fingertips gently holding Jim’s face, while his other hand settled on the exposed skin just above Jim’s waist band where his shirt had ridden up just enough to allow Spock’s fingers to trace shaped into his skin. With his tongue against Spock’s lips, Jim begged for entrance. He parted his lips and Jim began his gentle exploration of his mouth. He tasted like chocolate, and Spock decided that this was he favorite taste test so far. 

When the bell over the door in the front chimed, they both pulled away and Jim let out a breath that was half a laugh. With his hands on Spock’s chest he whispered, “Don’t… don’t go anywhere,” as though worried that full volume would break the spell that had settled over kitchen. He bit his lip before stepping away and through the door into the front of the store. 

“Oh hey, Bones,” his voice floated back into the kitchen where Spock stood, still unable to process what he had done. Slowly he brought his fingers to his lips, as if trying to recreate the feeling of kissing Jim. 

“What are you so happy about?” Spock didn’t recognize the voice. 

“I have to smile at customers- it’s part of the job. What can I help you with?” 

Panic settled around his heart. Why had he kissed him? Surely Jim was just being kind and doing his job. He had taken too much chocolate and his mind had been buzzing- he wasn’t thinking clearly. He had made an unwelcome advance and once he was done with the customer in the front, Jim would surely come back and ask Spock to leave and never return. 

“If you’re not going to buy anything, I really have something I have to take care of in the kitchen,” 

Spock glanced at the door on the back wall, and made his decision. He didn’t know where it led, but it was the only escape. 

“Some_thing_ or some_one_?”

The final thing Spock heard was Jim’s laughter as he said, “Goodbye, Bones,” in a singsong voice. 

He pushed the door open and slipped into the alleyway behind the store. He rushed back to his apartment and began meditating, trying to purge himself of the feelings that had developed without his intent. The chocolate had metabolized quickly and the lightheaded feeling had subsided, but the shame persisted- no matter how much he tried to tell himself that it was an illogical human emotion.

He spent several more hours in meditation, trying without success to discover and root out the reason for his affection and attraction to Jim. He was eventually pulled from deep within his own mind by a loud knocking on his front door. He tried to think of who would knock rather than use the comm system. 

“Spock, please open up. It’s Jim,”

Clearly the meditation had done nothing because his pulse elevated rapidly and he stood frozen to the spot. 

After a moment, there was another round of knocking and Jim continued, “Look if you’re mad at me or something that’s fine but please just talk to-” Spock swung the door wide open and Jim was surprised into silence. 

“Do you think I am angry with you?”

“Well, you did just leave out of nowhere, I really don’t know what to think,”

Spock hesitantly gestured for Jim to come inside, still speechless.

“You know, I had class with Uhura after work, and she yelled at me for like five minutes. She told me that she knew you came to see me, then you never showed up to class after, so she assumed that I did something to upset you,”

Spock continued to stand silently, unsure of how to reassure him that he was upset only with himself. For allowing himself to become intoxicated, for not obtaining permission before kissing him, for running away. 

“Maybe I did do something wrong, but I don't know. Uhura told me that chocolate is like alcohol to you, but I swear, I didn’t know. I wasn’t trying to pull anything. You bought so much, I thought you just really liked it,”

Spock suddenly realized that if Jim turned his head slightly, he would be looking at Spock’s bed. Having Jim in his apartment felt both intensely intimate and entirely natural. He could picture making breakfast with him, and lazing on the couch together on a rare day where they both had the day off. 

“Spock, please say something. _Anything_. Even if it’s to kick me out, I can’t take this one sided conversation,” 

“I… I am not angry with you, Jim. I left because I was embarrassed of my actions,”

“Look, I get it. You were a little drunk and kissed me but you didn’t mean it. Then I kissed you back which only made it worse. But can’t we still be friends? I can handle it. I’ve been friends with people I’ve had a crush on before. I really like spending time with you,”

Spock’s eyebrow raised at the word ‘crush’. He knew what it meant, of course, but hearing Jim apply it to him made him question himself. Surely Jim was not implying that he was interested in him romantically. 

“I did not do anything I did not wish to do while fully sober.” Now it was Jim’s turn to stare blankly. “Jim, since the first time I walked into your shop, I wanted to do that. I never believed that you would have been interested in me as well. I lost control of myself because of the chocolate, yes, but I did very much ‘mean it’ as you say,”

Jim closed the distance between them and reached out to touch Spock’s cheek. 

“Did you know that you still have a little chocolate on your face?” 

He swiped the chocolate off and held it up to show him. He wiped it off and leaned forward to gently kiss him. Spock returned with vigor, deepening the kiss once again. Jim leaned against the table to steady himself, but Spock lifted him up and set him down on the counter. Jim’s legs wrapped around Spock’s waist, keeping them chest to chest. Jim’s hands continued to roam, sending those electric sparks through his veins once more. He could feel Jim smiling against his lips, and a smile of his own threatened to appear. Jim tried to grind their hips together, searching for friction, quiet noises coming from his throat. 

The door chimed, and Spock pulled away, feeling as if he had been caught doing something inappropriate. Jim kept his legs wrapped around his waist so he couldn’t pull all the way back, and pressed their foreheads together. With a small chuckle, whispered more to himself than to Spock, “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,”

They stayed pressed together for another moment until the door chimed again. “I should see who that is. I will return shortly,”

Jim nodded. “Do you mind if I get a glass of water?” Spock pointed to the cabinet with the cabinet with the cups, and went to open the door. 

Nyota stood in the hallway with her hands on her hips. “What the hell happened to you? You never skip class, then you just don’t show up after visiting that- wait why are you all flushed?”

“I am fine. I simply needed some time to myself. I will be back on my usual schedule tomorrow,”

A small crash came from the kitchen, and Nyota seemed to put it all together. “Alright fine. You better tell me all about him tomorrow,” 

He began to protest, but she laughed lightly and left. Spock closed the door after her and turned back into the kitchen. Jim stood frozen, a pile of uneaten chocolates scattered around his feet. Boxes had broken open, spilling their contents onto the floor. He had opened the wrong cabinet and rather than finding cups, he fond Spock’s shameful hoard of candy that he never intended to eat. Spock wanted to run away again, but this time there was nowhere to run. Jim slowly bent down and picked a piece up off of the floor and inspected it more closely. 

“Did you eat _any_ of it?” 

“I…” He needed to just say it, to end this torture, “I wanted to go back, to see you, but I felt as though I needed a reason to go inside. So I bought them. It seemed quite logical at the time,”

He was quiet for a moment, until he looked up and said Spock’s name so softly, he could barely even hear it. “You never needed a reason to see me. I looked forward to seeing you. And the days you didn’t show up felt so empty that I didn’t know what to do with myself. Every time you came in, I found myself a little more in love with you. And then you kissed me and it was like everything finally just clicked into place; like a cosmic shift happened and everything aligned in just the right way,” 

His eyes were so full of genuine love and admiration, Spock had to look away. He knelt down and focused his attention instead on cleaning the chocolates that littered the floor. 

“I, too, became aware of changes in my emotions, though I did not know how to process them,”

Jim knelt down across from him, stilling his hands by taking them in his own. “Is that your way of saying you like me too?” Affection and worry both coloring his voice in equal measure. 

Spock’s eyebrow rose to just below his hair. “Indeed,” he replied, as though that was obvious. 

Jim blushed, and continued to help Spock clean the mess. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The chocolate shop was busy when Spock stopped in some months later for another gift.

“Something special for that someone special?” Jim asked with a wink, gesturing to the box in his hands.

“Indeed. My boyfriend was just assigned to a starship,”

“Oh really? I bet he’s handsome.” Jim batted his eyes.

“He is very aesthetically pleasing,”

“Oh, Spock, you really know how to make a boy swoon,” he said with a laugh.

Spock’s eyes twinkled with love and admiration, something no one but Jim would ever recognize. He extended two fingers over the counter, and Jim met them in the middle with two of his own. 

“I see you are still sold out of the chocolate you created,”

“We can’t keep it on the shelf,” Jim said with a touch of pride in his voice. “Maybe I should just quit Starfleet and follow my true calling of making chocolate,”

Spock playfully lifted a brow, but a strange look clouded Jim’s face and he wrung his hands together. 

“What would you do? What if I really didn’t want to captain a starship?”

“Then I would find a science position to fill here on Earth I would follow you to the ends of the galaxy, Jim,” he replied firmly, trying to clear the worry the fogged over Jim’s eyes. 

“I could come home from work and make you dinner, and we could spend our days off snuggled up in bed together,” a dreamlike quality had drifted into his voice. 

“Does that life hold interest for you, Jim?”

“Curled up in bed with you all day? Yeah it does. But we can do that on the _Enterprise_. Maybe when we get old and grey and retire together, we can live that life, but for now, I’m happy with what I’ve got,”

“Jim, can you at least pretend you work here?”

With a final soft look at Spock, he turned and said, “Alright, Bones. How can I help you?” 

“I need another one of those boxes you made up for Joanna. I’m seeing her tonight before we leave,”

“That’s great! Tell her Uncle Jim says hi,” 

“I will see you at home, Jim,” 

“Yeah, I’ll see you soon, babe,” he said with a smile as he extended two finger across the counter again for a quick Vulcan kiss, before disappearing into the kitchen to put together the gift. 

“I trust I will see you on board, Doctor,”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t remind me,” he waved his hand as if to dismiss Spock’s words. 

Spock nodded and turned to leave, running his fingertip along the curve of the ring in his pocket. 

“He’s gonna say yes, you know,” the doctor’s words stopped him short. 

“I do not know what you mean,”

“Sure you do.” They were both masters at avoiding emotional confrontation, but they managed to understand each other. “I know that look. I had that look when I met Joanna’s mom. What you two have is real though, it won’t end like mine did,” 

Spock was fairly certain this speech was meant to be reassuring, so he nodded and thanked the doctor before leaving. He continued rubbing his finger along the ring, as he walked back to the apartment he shared with Jim, contemplating their future together as husbands on board Starfleet’s most advanced ship.


End file.
